Question Number: 28808

Law 18 - Common Sense 10/1/2014

Robert Ayala of HOUSTON, TX United States asks...

I read the responses to the reference question and the scenarios as presented make sense, but I would still like further clarification.

If a player working near the goal line plants one foot outside of the goal line mark, where a ball would normally be considered out of play, and makes a move with his other foot with the ball still in play, is that allowed? e.g. one foot is in-bound, second foot out of bounds.

Thanks for the help.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Robert, As long as the BALL itself is in play a player can straddle or be outside the touchlines or goal lines and reach in to play the ball as it were.

The concept of normal playing conditions, recognizes that a player can be off the field through momentum or as a result of trying to go around an opponent. A referee will grant permission for the player to be off the field if he accepts this as a fact of play

What you might not know,

For the purposes of offside evaluation only, a player who goes off the field while the ball is in play, is consider to be on the goal line or touchline, at wherever his location off the field might be.

IF a player leaves the field of play without the permission of the referee he will not receive the ok to come back to play the ball if it was done as a deceitful tactic. This is misconduct, cautionable and an indfk restart ! An example? During active play, player pretends to go get a drink at his bench touchline, then leaves the field to go in behind those along the touchline , hidden from view and dart back in to accept a pass further down field !

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Sure. Players temporarily leave the field often during active play (usually while streaking down the touchline), and it is a normal part of the match. It is the position of the ball that tells us when play is stopped. Soccer is unlike basketball (where ball is out of play when touched by a player who is astride the lines).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Robert Players in playing the game may legally step off the field of play to do so. As described the ball is in play and the referee would allow play to continue. A more extreme example would be where a player to move around an opponent runs totally off the field of play over the touch line. That is allowed and the referee should not intervene.

Offside Question?

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